EFFECT OF POLLINATORS ON YIELD CHARACTERISTICS OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF SESAME

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the research field of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University. Dhaka, Bangladesh. during May 2011 to September2011 in kharif season with a view to find out the etThct of pollinators on yield contributing characteristics of different varieties of sesame. The experimental treatments included four sesame varieties viz. BAR!111-2 (V1). BAR!Til-3 (V2). BAR!Til-4 (V3) and Krisno (V4). The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. The variables measured at the 30. 45 and 60 DAS were plant height, plant girth, branches per plant, leaf per plant, leaf length, leaf breadth. days to first anthesis, days to edible maturity, pod length, pod diameter, pods per plant and pod yield. Significant differences were observed for pods per plant and pod yield due to the variety BAR!111-4 (V3) produced highest pods per plant (95.67) and yield per heetarc (1.65 t). Invertebrate pollinators were observed to find out the effective pollinations for sesame. Insects of different order such as. Lepidoptera, Colcoptera and Diptera were found during the flowering period. Insects of Hymenoptera order were the major pollinators, visiting sesame flowers and peak of foraging activity was found during 9-I1 am- Pollination increased the highest number of pod setting (86.67), number of seeds per pod (69) and germination percentage (80.93%) in BAR!111-4 (V3) was found in flowers without net ('!'4).